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September 21, 2010
NACD Leads Farm Bill Discussion
Last week, NACD hosted a widely attended meeting to discuss
the 2012 Farm Bill and recently signed Chesapeake Bay data
project. Attendees included the Farm Bureau, National Corn
Growers Association, U.S. Rice Producers Association,
American Soybean Association, National Milk Producers
Foundation, National Cotton Council of America, National
Council of Farmer Cooperatives, and the National Pork
Producers Council.
The group developed a list of priority issues for future
discussion and coordination, including technical assistance,
program consolidation and the impact of budget cuts. NACD
looks forward to addressing these priorities and building a
strong coalition.
NACD plans to host another meeting in October.
NACD Weighs in on EPA’s Clean Water Strategy
NACD recently submitted comments
in response to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s
(EPA) public discussion draft
outlining the agency’s clean water strategy. NACD’s comments
focus on the importance of locally-led conservation efforts,
and address specific concerns with EPA’s approach to watershed
restoration efforts and possible changes to the Clean Water
Act (CWA).
Conservation districts across the country work with state
and local governments, agricultural producers, forest
landowners, homeowners and developers to improve and protect
water through several CWA authorities, including Section 319
nonpoint source grants; storm-water permits; and source and
drinking water protection.
"States, local governments and private landowners play a
critical leadership role in water management," said NACD
President Steve Robinson. "Instead of solely relying on
regulatory and enforcement tools, NACD encourages EPA to work
collaboratively with local communities and stakeholders to
address water quality concerns."
NACD and districts look forward to continued work with
landowners, state and local partners and federal agencies to
achieve the important public benefits of clean water and
healthy watersheds across the nation.
For more information, click here.
Oklahoma Partnership Reduces Environmental Footprint
A new initiative from the Oklahoma Association of
Conservation Districts (OACD) and the Oklahoma Tourism and
Recreation Department plans to help offset the environmental
footprint of visitors to Oklahoma while rewarding the good
stewardship undertaken by farmers, ranchers and other
landowners.
The initiative will help visitors offset their carbon
emissions and other negative environmental impacts of travel
by offering them credits generated by conservation practices
that sequester carbon and protect the state’s soil, water,
air and wildlife habitats.
The state’s Tourism and Recreation Department will sell
credits online in $5, $15 and $30 intervals. Prices correspond
with different conservation practices, such as no-till and
strip-till farming, grass plantings, tree plantings and
improved pasture management.
Landowners who undertake these practices have the ability to
sell these carbon credits through the OACD Oklahoma Carbon
Initiative with verification provide by the Oklahoma
Conservation Commission Carbon Program.
NACD Asks EPA to Reconsider Water Quality Criteria
Last week, NACD, along with 35 agriculture organizations,
wrote to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
regarding Clean Water Act (CWA) numeric nutrient criteria
(NNC) polices pursued by EPA in Florida. In response to
litigation, EPA is establishing numeric water quality
criteria for the surface waters of Florida. The first of
these are to be issued in October 2010.
If waters do not meet the criteria, they would be classified
as “impaired” under the CWA and trigger the requirements
under the Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) program.
Approximately 44 states have NNC under development in some
form. There is growing concern that what happens in Florida
will be the standard that EPA uses in other states.
NACD urged EPA to delay further NNC policymaking until it
has engaged with all stakeholders in a thorough review of
current NNC polices. Our request is that EPA refrain from
implementing the NNC for Florida’s lakes and streams, and
instead work on the NNC in concert with Florida.
Kentucky Hosts District Employee Conference
The Kentucky Conservation District Employee Association
(KACDE) recently held their sixth annual conference at the
4-H Leadership Center in Jabez, Ken. The conference commenced
with the planting of a red oak tree, as part of the Olin
Sims Living Legacy project.
Participants attended training sessions providing ongoing
professional development for conservation district employees.
Susan Schultz, NACD Stewardship and Education project manager,
provided sessions on community outreach, education activities
and grant proposal planning. NCDEA President Connie Richmeier
shared long-range planning and water festival ideas.
Schultz and Richmeier were also awarded KACDE life memberships.
For more information, visit www.kacde.org.
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